Michigan Jumps Up With Olaniyan

Sam Webb

03/17/2009

Warren (MI) Mott DE C.J. Olaniyan has been one of the hottest prospects in the Great Lake State this spring. The offers have spanned the country… from as far West Oregon and to as far East as Maryland. Today, though, he received news of an offer a lot closer to home.

"I went to go see (Michigan) Friday (for junior day) and Saturday (for practice), and they told me they were really interested," Olaniyan recalled. "My recruiting coordinator (Michigan assistant Rod Smith) told me on Monday that they were going to sit down as coaches and decide whether they were ready to offer me or not, and then I should get some news. Today my coach told me during lunch time to call the coach, and then he told me that they offered me."

Warren Mott Coach Tom Milanov had a feeling that the Wolverines were ready to make a move on his star pupil. The growing interest shown by Smith seemed to foretell the future.

"Coach Smith seemed really interested," said Milanov. "He went back and talked to Coach Rodriguez about (Olaniyan). I guess they just sat down this morning as a staff and decided they were going to offer him."

Because of two late defections from last year's recruiting class and Brandon Graham's pending departure after next season, Michigan is looking to replenish the talent at the spot in 2010. The Maize & Blue coaching staff made it clear to Olaniyan just how prominently he could fit into that plan.

"They asked me what did I want, and I said I'm looking for academics and playing time," he said. "They said they don't have the (numbers at defensive end) right now. They said they need guys at DE. My recruiting coordinator told the conversation that he is having with me now, if I go there, he is not going to have it in two years because they need players at that position. He said he expects me to come in there and win a job."

The offer on the heels of two strong visits has definitely made an impression on this talented youngster. His interaction with the coaches and the players gave him a much better feel for what life in Ann Arbor would be like.

"When we first got there (Friday), we sat to the side and talked to some of the coaches," said Olaniyan. "A couple of times they took me to the side. I talked to (Rodriguez) a little bit and then I talked to him more during dinner because he sat at our table. He's a nice person. They also showed us the weight room and we went to the academic center too. The practice (on Saturday) was pretty much like ours… just extra coaches and sessions. I spoke to the QB from Inkster (Devin Gardner) while I was there. I spoke to William Campbell a little bit too. They just asked me if I was coming there. (Michigan) moved up."

How much the Wolverines have moved up and with whom is something Olaniyan is keeping close to the vest. Because there are still numerous suitors on his list with whom he is still unfamiliar, he plans to gather more information on all of them before he publicly establishes a pecking order.

"C.J. is really wide open right now," Milanov said. "He is really in no hurry to make a decision. He'll probably start narrowing things down this spring. After the spring time if he starts to get tired of it all and gets a good idea of where he wants to go, then maybe he'll make a decision. Right now, he is focused on taking some visits."

Olaniyan will hit the road again for the next leg in his fact finding mission in just a matter of days.

"I'm leaving on Thursday to go to Penn State for the weekend," added Olaniyan. "The week after that, I'm going to Iowa. Then during spring break I'm going to Central Michigan and maybe Wisconsin."